The New York Timesreports that a small plane carrying Vittorio Missoni, 58, the co-owner of the Missoni fashion empire, is missing off the coast of Venezuela. The plane carried four people, including Vittorio, his wife Maurizia Castiglioni and two friends left the luxury island result of Los Roques. Contact with the plan was lost shortly after takeoff. The trip from Los Roques to Caracas normally take only half an hour. The plane has been missing since yesterday.

Venezuela's interior minister, NÚstor Reverol, went on television last to discuss the missing plane. He said the plane was a BN2 Islander. It took off from the resort. Contact was lost with the plane when it was just 10 nautical miles south of Los Roques.

The Venezuelan Coast Guard has been searching by sea and air, but so far they cannot find the plane or its passengers. Members of the Missoni family are flying from Italy to Venezuela and are absolutely distraught according to local news reports.

Vittorio Missoni runs the fashion label, along with this brother Luca and sister Angela. Angela is the chief fashion designer of the house their parents founded.